Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, handing a seismic win to the Democratic Party’s far-left flank and stunning the political establishment. The 34-year-old democratic socialist and Queens assemblyman defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a high-profile general election that captured national attention.
Mamdani, born in Uganda and raised in New York, becomes the first South Asian, first Muslim, and first millennial to serve as mayor of the nation’s largest city. His campaign, rooted in bold progressive policies like rent freezes, free childcare, city-run grocery stores, and fast, no-fare buses, was fueled by a wave of grassroots energy and digital media savvy that mobilized younger, often disengaged voters.
His victory caps off a meteoric rise that began with a shocking upset in the Democratic primary over Cuomo, who was expected to cruise to the nomination. Backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Mamdani leaned into his outsider identity and refused to tone down his socialist beliefs, stating, “I refuse to apologize for any of this.”
President Donald Trump had labeled Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and endorsed Cuomo in a last-minute push. Mamdani didn’t shy away from the confrontation, using it to rally his base. “To get any of us, you will have to get through all of us,” he declared during his victory speech in Brooklyn.
The race exposed sharp divisions within the Democratic Party. Mamdani received minimal support from top Democrats until the eleventh hour. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer never endorsed him. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries offered support only a day before early voting began. Governor Kathy Hochul eventually campaigned with Mamdani, but the alliance appeared uneasy. Mamdani, for his part, refused to endorse Hochul.
His tax-the-rich platform now faces a significant hurdle: Hochul’s refusal to raise taxes, something Mamdani needs state approval for. He was heckled at a rally where supporters chanted, “Tax the rich!” as the governor tried to speak.
Mamdani also weathered a firestorm of criticism over past comments about Israel and policing. He refused to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada” and was arrested in 2023 during a ceasefire protest outside Schumer’s home. He faced attacks from Cuomo and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa for being too hostile toward Jewish New Yorkers and too sympathetic to anti-Israel rhetoric. More than 650 rabbis signed an open letter condemning Mamdani’s positions. He later pledged to discourage the use of the intifada slogan and promised to protect all communities, including Jewish New Yorkers.
His record of bashing the NYPD—calling the department “racist, anti-queer, and a major threat to public safety”—was another sore spot. He offered a public apology on Fox News days before the election, saying he wanted to work with rank-and-file officers and respected the danger of their jobs.
The race turned even more chaotic when former Mayor Eric Adams dropped out and endorsed Cuomo, consolidating establishment opposition to Mamdani. Billionaires like John Catsimatidis and Bill Ackman urged Sliwa to step aside and back Cuomo, but Sliwa refused.
Despite the backlash, Mamdani’s social media operation proved formidable. His TikToks, filled with curated filters and celebrity cameos, amassed millions of views. He brought micro-influencers into campaign briefings and leaned on digital culture the way Trump did in 2024—transforming political messaging into content built for virality.
In the closing days, Mamdani recounted a rallygoer wearing a “MAGA for Zohran” hat, noting that affordability had become a unifying crisis. “No matter who you are, no matter where you live,” he said, “this is a movement that looks to address that crisis.”
His win solidifies the leftward pull of New York City politics and sets up a potential clash with state leadership as he attempts to deliver on his sweeping promises.
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